Peter koutoujian biography

Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. As a prosecutor, legislator, professor, and law enforcement leader, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian has worked on the leading issues in public safety and public health throughout his career.

A former Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County, Koutoujian was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in From –, he was a member of Joint Committee on Health Care and was the chairman of the Committee from –

His work has earned him local and national recognition, including being named the national Sheriff of the Year for by the Major County Sheriffs of America. Sheriff Koutoujian holds a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, a law degree from the New England School of Law, and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Bridgewater State University.

He maintains his academic involvement by continuing to teach criminal justice and leadership courses at several New England area institutions. While a state representative, he oversaw Massachusetts' healthcare priorities as Chairman of the Committee on Health Care. He advocated for families and frontline workers on issues of mental health, school nutrition, nursing, opioid and tobacco use, suicide awareness, domestic violence prevention, pandemic response, crime profiteering, rape by fraud, and more.

He also created and led the state's first Commission on Oxycontin and Other Drug Abuse as well as the Commission to End Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities just as these issues were beginning to emerge as crises in public health. His relationships with medical professionals, advocates, and those with lived experience helped drive legislation that made Massachusetts a national leader in healthcare and inspired the philosophy of service he brought to the Middlesex Sheriff's Office.

Peter John Koutoujian is an American politician who is the current Sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

As sheriff, his use of specialty units has reimagined the correctional landscape. By targeting treatment towards unique populations such as young adults and military veterans, these programs have directly and substantially reduced recidivism in their participants. These results have been published in academic journals, featured by national news outlets, and labeled as best practices by multiple presidential administrations.

More importantly, Sheriff Koutoujian's commitment to data-driven research has made these programs and their results replicable across the country. In light of his commitment to the profession, Sheriff Koutoujian was elected by his statewide and national peers to serve as both the President of Major County Sheriffs of America and the Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association.

Sheriff Koutoujian proudly works with several national organizations on issues essential to public health and safety.